" ITREALMS: Celtel introduces unity tariffs, ready for 3G

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Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Celtel introduces unity tariffs, ready for 3G

Third Generation (3G) compliant and Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operator, Celtel Nigeria has made another first by introducing a flat tariff structure, to be known as ‘Unity tariffs’ even as the telco declared its readiness for 3G regime in the country.

Chief Executive, Celtel Nigeria, Mr. Adebayo Ligali, said in Lagos, Thursday that the introduction of the unity tariffs on its network is in the bid towards making life better for Nigerians.

According to him, the flat tariffs come in three formats, namely simply special, simply smooth and simply smart, just as it has slashed the international call tariffs by 45 per cent and on per second billing.

Mr. Ligali, said the flat tariffs has three key elements including simplicity, affordability and transparency.

He explained that ‘simply special’ offers subscribers on the network affordable prices and maximum benefits as on or across the net calls during peak hours, that is, 6am to 7pm which attracts 66 kobo while off peak is 39 kobo respectively.

In addition, subscribers on this platform would have access to local Short Messaging Service (SMS) nationwide at the cost of N9 at all times, whereas SMS send internationally would attract N15 per message.

On the Simply smooth, Mr. Ligali said that its targeted at customers who are business people and high volume users desiring affordable prices while removing complexity and price discrimination between networks.

He said that on this platform subscribers are expected to pay a monthly fee of N400 while having access to on and off net calls during peak hours at 59 kobo and off peak at 33 kobo respectively, with local SMS costing N9 and international SMS attracts N15.

Equally on Simply Smart, Mr. Ligali noted that it is focused on small and medium enterprise (SME) owners looking at increasing convenience while controlling phone costs.

He pointed out that Simply Smart attracts N3,600, which includes 100 free minutes and 30 free SMS, stressing that on and off peak periods attract 61 kobo and 33 kobo in that order, even as it has the same offering for local and international SMS like in other platform on this new package.

Mr. Ligali further said that extra features of flat tariffs structure include that midnight happy hours between 12am and 4.30; friends and family enjoy 15 free SMS monthly apart from Simply Smart which comes with 30 free SMS.

Other benefits, he enumerated include 10 per cent recharge bonus, 300 ‘call me back’ option per month and 300 ‘credit me’ monthly options.

He pointed out that for any subscriber to migrate to the new unity tariff structure, those who want to engage in Simply Special has to send ‘Yes’ SMS to 701, while 702 is for Simply smooth and 703 is for Simply smart.

“You would get an SMS containing the Personal Identification Number (PIN) for your migration,” he said.

Mr. Ligal added that by entering *126* plus the PIN number and then send.

“You would be migrated within 48 hours and would receive an SMS when done followed by a congratulation message,” he said.

He equally warned prospective migrants to the unity tariffs to desist from sending SMS for this purpose more than once, otherwise, “you would be charged N100 for each SMS if you send more than one.”

In a related development, Celtel has reduced its international call rates by 45 per cent, which means that calls to United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, United Arab Emirate is now 55 kobo per second on the network.

Just as special discounts await callers to popular African countries such as Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cameroon to name a few.

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